Ryan Williamson is a Fulbright .JPG)
English Teaching Assistant. With a BBA in Business Honors, a minor in International Trade and Agriculture, and plans to promote agricultural diplomacy, Ryan applied for the Fulbright ETA Program with impressive mentoring and facilitation experience, but no prior experience living abroad. Given his background, the Agricultural School in Benešov was a natural fit. During his Fulbright year, Ryan not only immersed himself in Czech school life and culture but also represented the Czech Fulbright Commission at the EU–US Young Leaders Seminar in Brussels. There, he engaged with inspiring speakers, exchanged ideas with peers about the challenges facing today's workforce, and explored the opportunities and implications of artificial intelligence. As he reflects on ten months of living in Europe, Ryan says he is more convinced than ever that we all share a responsibility to make the world a better place. For him, that commitment will likely take the form of public service. Washington, D.C., is next—but where the journey leads after that remains to be seen.
During my first month teaching English as a Fulbright grantee, a student interrupted my lesson with a simple question: “Why are you here?” It was not an interrogation; rather, he simply wanted to know what had compelled me to pack my bags and move across the globe to a rural town in the Czech Republic. .JPG)
That was until I was given the chance to attend the EU-US Young Leaders Seminar in Brussels, Belgium. The seminar, co-funded by the European Union and the United States and organized by the German Marshall Fund, brought together 50 students from Fulbright and Erasmus programs across the EU to discuss the most pressing issues related to this year’s seminar theme: “The Future of Skills and Leadership.”
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On our first evening in Brussels, we were welcomed by Erica Lutes from the Fulbright Commission in Brussels and Georgiana Plesu from the European Commission. My pre-seminar apprehensions turned into bubbling excitement as they spoke passionately about the importance of the transatlantic partnership and young people’s role in its strength.
What followed were two days filled with panel discussions and TEDx-style talks from distinguished speakers, ranging from professors and startup founders to diplomats and government officials from both sides of the Atlantic. Topics covered included the current state of the transatlantic partnership, the skills needed to keep up with the evolving workforce, the role of artificial intelligence in global development, and exchange opportunities.
Between these large group sessions, we divided into smaller groups to attend workshops catered to our individual interests. Because I intend to pursue a career in international law, I attended workshops covering negotiation and conflict transformation, EU exchange opportunities, and EU project funding opportunities.
A highlight of the seminar was a reception hosted by the U.S. Mission to the EU at the residence of Andrew Puzder, the U.S. ambassador to the EU. As we arrived at the beautiful home, we were greeted by alumni of the seminar along with professionals from the U.S. Department of State and the European External Action Service. As I asked the alumni and professionals about their current work, I felt so inspired by how passionately they talked, and they encouraged me to continue toward my goal of public service.
Photo: Building connections with other young leaders at the ambassador’s residence, March 2026, Brussels.
After two days packed with discussions about meeting skills demands in an increasingly unstable job market, we put our work at the conference into action during our last activity: a simulation requiring our group to respond to drastic changes during an economic shock. Each of us was assigned a team with a designated role for a company. As a member of the human resources team, we worked to bridge the gap between the employees and the C-suite of the company as both groups responded to a crisis with incomplete information. It was surprisingly fast-paced, but I remember feeling proud as I realized we were putting much of the knowledge we gained about soft skills and talent development into action during this capstone activity.
Photo: Working with fellow human resources team members during the simulation exercise, March 2026, Brussels.
The conference concluded, and we celebrated Belgium-style with a food truck serving Belgian waffles to all attendees. I felt grateful not only to have learned alongside people with so many different life experiences but also to have walked away with new friends with whom I could trade stories of living abroad.
Back to the question my student asked me in September: “Why are you here?” While I learned so much about diplomacy and skills development at the seminar, my greatest insight from this experience was actually the answer to his question. Experiencing life abroad is about more than just seeing how people live in other parts of the world. It’s about realizing that we have a shared responsibility to make the world a better place for one another. Discussing the future of skills and leadership with my fellow attendees reminded me that progress only happens if we confront this responsibility with genuine duty and care.
I still find myself thinking about this experience, and I could not be more grateful to the Czech Fulbright Commission for giving me this incredible opportunity and to the organizers of the seminar for all of their hard work. As I move on from my Fulbright experience into a career in Washington, D.C., I will remember all that this meaningful experience taught me about diplomacy, international relationship building, and global responsibility.
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Photo: Picture with Dr. Lucy Delgadillo, Fulbright scholar to the Czech Republic, who presented on financial literacy at the seminar, March 2026, Brussels.
A highlight of the seminar was a reception hosted by the U.S. Mission to the EU at the residence of Andrew Puzder, the U.S. ambassador to the EU. As we arrived at the beautiful home, we were greeted by alumni of the seminar along with professionals from the U.S. Department of State and the European External Action Service. As I asked the alumni and professionals about their current work, I felt so inspired by how passionately they talked, and they encouraged me to continue toward my goal of public service.
After two days packed with discussions about meeting skills demands in an increasingly unstable job market, we put our work at the conference into action during our last activity: a simulation requiring our group to respond to drastic changes during an economic shock. Each of us was assigned a team with a designated role for a company. As a member of the human resources team, we worked to bridge the gap between the employees and the C-suite of the company as both groups responded to a crisis with incomplete information. It was surprisingly fast-paced, but I remember feeling proud as I realized we were putting much of the knowledge we gained about soft skills and talent development into action during this capstone activity.
The conference concluded, and we celebrated Belgium-style with a food truck serving Belgian waffles to all attendees. I felt grateful not only to have learned alongside people with so many different life experiences but also to have walked away with new friends with whom I could trade stories of living abroad.
Back to the question my student asked me in September: “Why are you here?” While I learned so much about diplomacy and skills development at the seminar, my greatest insight from this experience was actually the answer to his question. Experiencing life abroad is about more than just seeing how people live in other parts of the world. It’s about realizing that we have a shared responsibility to make the world a better place for one another. Discussing the future of skills and leadership with my fellow attendees reminded me that progress only happens if we confront this responsibility with genuine duty and care.
I still find myself thinking about this experience, and I could not be more grateful to the Czech Fulbright Commission for giving me this incredible opportunity and to the organizers of the seminar for all of their hard work. As I move on from my Fulbright experience into a career in Washington, D.C., I will remember all that this meaningful experience taught me about diplomacy, international relationship building, and global responsibility.
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